There has been a trend towards liquid dispensing containers (hereafter “containers”) of a kind having a liquid content capable of being dispensed (e.g. including by pouring, sucking and/or squeezing) reliant on a pull out or the equivalent outlet nozzle of a closure assembly.
It is usual with all such containers to provide some semblance of protection for the outlet nozzle if the container is not to be one to be filled by the purchaser himself or herself, i.e. where a container is being sold as a throwaway or a potential container for reuse.
With such a nozzle outlet assembly it is also usual for some form of seal system to be utilised to prevent contamination of the liquid content of the bottle and/or accidental or deliberate egress of liquid therefrom without evidence of tampering. Usually such a seal system involves a form of removable seal (e.g. whether of a foil, a laminate or a polycell material or otherwise (e.g. “polycell liners”)). Such seals can be provided with a tab such that upon removal of, for example, a closure assembly which carries the outlet nozzle, the seal can be removed. Other forms involve a foil or other pierceable membrane capable of being broken without any removal of all of the closure assembly, i.e. it can be punched through by an appropriate manipulation of the outlet nozzle itself and/or some inner extension thereof.
Such containers usually have a neck with an external thread engageable by part of the closure assembly. The containers usually in the form of a bottle or flask and at least most components of the closure assembly are usually manufactured from a fast cycle injection plastics material such as a suitable food grade polypropylene or polyethylene. Reference herein therefore to “moulded components” preferably refers to materials of a plastics type but where appropriate such materials can be substituted by other materials (whether metal or otherwise) or other conventional materials used for cap making. Likewise, membranes as referred to herein as being used to provide a seal of the bottle itself can be of any suitable material whether adapted for tear off, piercing or otherwise.
The present invention recognises an advantage arising from a capability of defining in a preassembled form of such a tamper evident closure assembly (e.g. in a controlled environment) a space not capturing much moisture prior to association with a container, such association, particularly where there is to be a hot filling of the container, being in an environment where the container is exposed to moisture and air. In so doing the volume of moisture and air captured between any such assembly and the sealed container can be minimised.